SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL MARKETS AROUND THE UK AND AT ABERDEEN; LANCASTER; THIRSK; MARKET DRAYTON; HUNTLY; STIRLING; HOLSWORTHY; CARLISLE; DUMFRIES; PRESTON; MELTON MOWBRAY; DINGWALL; SEDGEMOOR; OSWESTRY; DUNGANNON; FORT WILLIAM; SKIPTON; EXETER; SHREWSBURY; HUNTLY; TRURO; LANARK;

by | Sep 24, 2022

The UK’s leading continental beef breed for age at slaughter Simmental sired progeny are fast growing, have a terrific weight for age, and leave a high yielding, profitable carcase. Simmental females are naturally efficient, healthy, easy to manage, and just full of milk. Adding value to any cross, they are maternal mainstays of the commercial suckler herd providing value and profit.
This base of female quality, efficiency and performance, rounded up with terrific terminal abilities, sees Simmental providing future fit genetics for an industry where natural efficiency and dual-purpose value will be at a premium. Please see here the latest market briefs of Simmentals continuing to do the business at commercial sales around the UK.
Aberdeen and Northern Marts (Friday 23rd September 2022) sold 1,337 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves. Heifers (315) averaged 246.4p and sold to 292.6p per kg for a pair of 458kg Simmental crosses from Lochend. On the same day a sale of store cattle on behalf of Orkney consignors saw the heifers top at 292.5p per kg for a pair of Simmentals from J W S Logie & Co, Lochend, Westray. Young Bulls sold to 210.7p per kg for a 446kg Simmental from S Mainland, Skiddy, Rendall.
At NWA’s sale on 23rd September at Lancaster, the strongest store cattle maintained the high prices of recent sales. Simmental x steers led the way achieving £1620 for a pair from TJ Lloyd, Settle. OTM heifers sold to 244.5p/kg from a Simmental from Mason & Gardner, Ingleton.
Aberdeen and Northern Marts (Thursday 22nd September 2022) Sold 210 Cows and Bulls at Thainstone. Beef Feeding Cows (74) averaged £1251.28 (+67.44) and sold to £1530 for a 806kg Simmental from Sauchenbush, Echt.
In a sale of 186 cattle at Thirsk Market on 22nd September the best grossing cow at 1690.74 was for a Simmental x from R Inglis, Howden purchased by RM Helliwell, Rochdale.

An electric trade for yarding cattle at Market Drayton’s store sale on 22nd September topped at £1350 or 2.56p per kilo for Simmental steers with majority trading at 2.00-2.20p per kilo.
At Huntly, United Auctions on 22nd September sold 629 store cattle, weaned calves and OTMs at the annual Weaned Calf Show and Sale. OTMS sold to average 176p per kg selling to 208.6p per kg for a SimX from Burnside, Marypark. Top gross being £1930 for the same animal.
Caledonian Marts Ltd, Stirling on 22nd September had forward 121 Cattle comprising of 67 Bullocks, Heifers and Young Bulls, and 54 OTM Cattle. Prime Bullocks sold to £2034 for a Simmental from H A Brown, Molemount, Galston purchased by S McGimpsey.
The sale of store cattle at Holsworthy on 21st September saw a cracking run of single suckled Simmental steers 14-17mths from Messrs Baily & Son of Beaworthy meet with a strong trade topping the day at £1385 with others to £1350.
At H&H’s sale of store cattle and weanlings at Carlisle on 21st September, a show of 210 weaners were on offer with a keen ring side of buyers ensuring a great trade. Messrs Wigham, Riggshields sold a Simmental bull to the top price of £1290.
United Auctions on 21 September at Stirling sold 1131 store cattle and young bulls and 223 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Heifers (499) – averaged 229.82p to 275.70p per kg for a 457kg SimX from Ormsary, and to £1640 for a 682kg SimX from Stoopshill.
C&D Auction Marts held their weekly Primestock sale in Dumfries on Wednesday 21st September 2022. Beef cows to 223p/kg and £1906.60 for a Simm from Maxwellbank.
At Brockholes Arms Auction Mart, Preston, sale of store cattle on 20th September, overall top spot in the steer section went to M Sacker with Simx Steers to £1440.
At Melton Mowbray on 20th September, a grand show of strength on a busy day welcomed by a ringside packed with buyers saw vendors returning home grinning from ear to ear with well-earned rewards. Cattle across from Ely saw £1425 for a Simmental x heifer at 22 months.
At a small sale of prime cattle at Dingwall on 20th September, prime heifers sold to 245.0p per kg and £1,323,00 gross for a 540kg Simmental cross from Easter Sheeppark, Balblair selling to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.
Caledonian Marts Ltd, Stirling had forward 247 Store Cattle at their fortnightly sale on 19th September. Heifers averaged 226ppkg and to £1200 for a Simmental from W & E I Brown, Laigh Drumbow, Turnberry.
Sedgemoor’s store sale on 17th September saw Simmental heifers at £1255 (only 17m) from N Jamieson, Taunton feature in the top end of prices.
Aberdeen and Northern Marts (Friday 16th September 2022 at Thainstone) Sold 975 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves. Bulls sold to 242.2p per kg for a pen of three 510kg Simmental crosses and £1,305 gross for a 566kg Simmental cross from Druid Temple Farm, Inverness.
SIMMENTALS LEADING LANCASTER’S STORE TRADE IN NUMBERS
The weekly sale of store cattle at Lancaster on 16TH September had an entry of in excess of 200 forward that saw strong short keep cattle in big demand selling to a strong trade. Simmental bullocks led the way selling to £1630 from TJ Lloyd Farm, Settle with other Simmental bullocks to £1600 from Cowell & Moore, Woodplumpton. This was followed by other Simmental bullocks to £1500 from T&M Halhead, Priest Hutton. Cull cows sold to an overall market average of 167p/kg with 80% of the sale being dairy cows. The sale peaked at 209.5p/kg for a Fleckvieh from B&AC Barnes, Kirkby Lonsdale who sold others at 207.5p/kg,
A small sale of weanlings at Oswestry on 14th September saw the top price being for Simmental Heifers to £300 from I G & G M Evans & Sons Pendugwn.
At H&H’s sale of store cattle at Carlisle on 14th September, another good entry of 600 Store Cattle forward selling to yet another cracking trade for all best shaped and fleshed steers and heifers. Simmental steers peaked at a sale top price of £1760 from Messrs Stamper.
Dungannon Farmer’s Mart on 14th September saw fat cows sold to £1720 for an 850kg Sim (202.00).
United Auctions on 14th September at Stirling sold 1458 store cattle, native bred cattle and young bulls and 181 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Bullocks (745) -averaged 239.42p and to £1770 for a 719kg SimX from Auchenwincie.
At Fort William, Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd (September 14th) sold 551 Weaned calved, store, breeding and OTM cattle. Bullocks (319) averaged 282.2p per kg and sold to £1,360 gross for a 615kg Simmental Cross from Ardtornish Farms, Morven.
Skipton’s sale of 550 cattle on 14th September saw Simmentals lead the breed averages for beef bred feeding cows to average £1170. Simmental store bullocks averaged £1300 with Simmental store heifers selling to £1200.
At Thirsk’s sale of 236 store cattle on 13th September, trade was bouyant with strong competition for all classes. Steers sold to £1390 and including Simmental X from D Ashton & Son, Spaldington.
Dingwall & Highland Marts Sale of prime cattle on 13th September saw prime bullocks average 229.2p per kg and sold to 238.0p per kg for a 600kg Simmental from Allanglach, North Kessock selling to Messrs J M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.
At Exeter’s sale of prime cattle on 12th September, Simmentals from Douglas Horton and Family up from Kingsbridge reached £1460 (610kg x 240ppk). Further Simmental bred heavy heifers ran to £1342 (598pk x 225ppk) for Adrian and Bradley Bowden.
Simmental heifers sold to £1295 from EJ Harding, Weston-Super-Mare, with other Simmentals sold at £1235 from R & J Cook, Bridport and £1225 from FW Batten at Sedgemoor’s store sale on 10th September.
At a sale of store cattle from Orkney consignors on 9th September at Aberdeen & Northern Marts Thainstone centre, heifers sold to a top of 261p per kg for a 504kg Simmental from A T Annal & Sons, Myres, South Ronaldsay.
At the sale of store cattle at NWA’s Lancaster market on 9th September, numbers are increasing week on week with 348 forward, the sale peaked at £1800 for a trio of cracking Simmental x steers from RH Dodgson, Burton in Lonsdale who sold another trio at £1760.
SIMMENTALS LEAD RECORD STORE AVERAGE AT SHREWSBURY!
A wonderful line up of cattle ON 8TH September, with a lot of forward cattle and suckler breds on offer resulted in a RECORD AVERAGE for a Store Cattle sale in Shrewsbury for both the gross value and per kilo returning at £1083 and 230ppk. The forward Cattle today topping at £1490 (685kg) for a 22mo Simmental Steer from P & C E Davies of Four Crosses who sold 3 further Simmentals in excess of £1400!!
At Huntly on 8th September, United Auctions sold 65 store and OTM cattle. BLKS (20) sold to an average 223p per kg and with the top price being £1165 for a 495kg SimX from Auchinclech, Grange. HFRS (42) sold to average 227p per kg selling to a top gross of £1160 for a 500kg SimX from Clerkseat, Grange.
On Wednesday 7th September at Carlisle, Harrison & Hetherington conducted their weekly sale of calves with an entry of 299 forward. Topping the sale was a Simmental bull from Haregills, Lockerbie selling for £565.
Dungannon Farmer’s Mart on 7th September saw suckled cows and calves sold to £1950 for a Sim Cow with a Sim Hfr Calf at foot.
At Truro livestock market’s sale of store cattle on 7th September, a superb consignment from Messrs I D & S S Backway of St Eval, Wadebridge, topped at £1150 for a trio of 16 month old Simmental x steers.
Lawrie and Symington Ltd had forward 675 store cattle to the fortnightly sale on 6th September at Lanark. Heifers peaked at £1370 for a 674kg Simmental heifer from Kilblaan.
Exeter’s sale of prime cattle on 5th September saw Over Thirty Month prime cattle sold readily and to £1537 (734kg x 210ppk) for CS and K Hoskin of Christow with an aged Simmental Heifer.
On Monday 5th September 2022 at Carlisle, Harrison & Hetherington held their weekly sale of Primestock. A much larger entry of over 100 prime bulls sold to a fantastic trade throughout. The day’s trading topped at £2618 for a 914kg Simmental from Messrs Lowry, New Steadings Farm, Lanark and was purchased by Mr Bill Howard.
Caledonian Marts Ltd had forward 378 Store Cattle at their fortnightly sale on 5th September at Stirling. Cows and Calves sold to £2450 for a 7-year-old Simmental Cow with Charolais Calf from G & A Munn, Mid Auchencarroch, Alexandria.
Aberdeen and Northern Marts (Friday 2nd September 2022 at Thainstone) Sold 894 Store Cattle, Young Bulls, Young and Weaned Calves and Breeding Cattle. Heifers (294) averaged 244.4p and sold to £1,750 gross for a 584kg Simmental from Milton of Noth, Rhynie. Bulls (14) sold to 226.2p per kg for a 210kg Simmental cross from Thorax Farm, Cornhill. On the same day, at a sale of store cattle for Orkney consignors, heifers sold to a top of £1,255 gross for a pen of three 512kg Simmental cross Luing from T Lyth, Heatherhouse, Tankerness and to 255.1p per kg for a pair of 448kg Simmentals from J W S Wishart, Knockhall, South Ronaldsay.
At NWA’s sale of store and OTM cattle on 2nd September Simmentals featured at the top end of prices. OTM steers led the way selling to 234.5p/kg or £1648 from H Birkett & Son, Overton with a Simmental. In the stores the bullock trade saw Simmentals to £1640 from H Morgan, and to £1520 from T&M Halhead, Priest Hutton.
A packed calf shed at Melton Mowbray on 31st August saw the 200 barrier bracket broken! The trade seen week in week out brings both the rearing calves and the weanlings forward with some super runs of farming cattle from across the counties for buyers to get stuck into. Pick of the calves this came from weekly supporters Chandler and Dickman who saw Simmental bull calves top the trade at £260.
Dungannon Farmer’s Mart on Wednesday 31st August saw dropped calves peak at £345 for a Sim Bull presented by J Robinson.